This was the week before the big fiesta in Alicante, Hogueras de San Juan, culminating on June 24th at midnight. I generally stay away from the burning of the installations–it happens late and it is too crowded. But I like to walk around the city and look at the preparations during the days leading up to the big event.
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But I start with some of my usual morning photos from the beach. It is wonderful how the light is different every day:
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This wooden platform is designed for people in wheelchairs to be able to enjoy the beach. But in the early morning people use it to exercise. It is very much a thing here in Alicante, to exercise on the beach:
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A golden sunrise:
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Sand church:
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Now to the centre of Alicante. I went to look at the hogueras, large installations made of paper maché and put up at various points in the city. They often have a theme related to current events. Each is created by a local association, and there is a competition among the different associations for the best installations. Their shelf life is only a few days. They are officially finished on June 20th, and are burned at midnight on June 24th. While walking to the first hoguera, I happened on this amusing sign outside a bar:
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The first place I went to was Plaza Séneca, a square in a neighbourhood where tourists never set foot, as it some distance from the heart of the city and from the main beach. So the hoguera there was very much for the locals:
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The hoguera was still a work in progress. When I watch these scenes, I am struck by a couple of things. First, the organisation and effectiveness, not things that Spain is most famous for. But these things get completed on time, get burned on time four days later, and everything is cleaned up within 12-18 hours afterwards. The second feature of the celebration that continues to amaze me after all the years of living here is that so much effort is expended on something that will last only a few days:
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Plaza Séneca is a place where much social life takes place in the street, and even more so when there is something to look at:
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Mother explaining the hoguera to her child:
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I stuck around a bit, looking at various details of the hoguera:
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I then walked around 1 km to a much more central spot, Plaza Puerta del Mar, home of two major hotels and the main city centre beach. There were several hogueras in this general area, starting with this one. Here, there were lots of passers-by, both locals and tourists, and many selfies were being taken:
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A similar scene to the one I witnessed earlier on Plaza Séneca:
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A young couple looks on:
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The hoguera was quite elaborate:
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Just about 100-150 meters from Plaza Puerta del Mar is Alicante’s city hall, on Plaza del Ayuntamiento. And of course there was a huge hoguera there:
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Here, lots of people come to look, and to have a drink in the many nearby bars:
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And indeed, the hoguera was impressive:
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Literally one minute down the street, on one of the narrow streets in the centre, Calle Jorge Juan, there was yet another hoguera:
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This hoguera had a distinctly political theme, addressing major issues such as the environment:
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Conversation:
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The actions of the current regime in the US was a major theme:
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A shopkeeper on Calle Jorge Juan, not too happy about the fiesta, there is no business during this week:
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Passer-by:
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A face I can’t stand:
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Yes, he’s a clown but a dangerous clown:
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Do not seperate families:
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History will judge Trump’s treatment of immigrants (in Valenciano):
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I walked back towards the city hall, passing another square, Plaza SantÃsima Faz, which also had a small hoguera:
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The last hoguera I passed was on the main pedestrian street along the waterfront, Esplanada de España. Its theme was the public health service, especially the long waiting times:
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Like the other hogueras I saw during my walk, this one was still work in progress:
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Just before descending into the parking garage at Plaza Puerta del Mar, I snapped this photo of the African women offering braiding services in a spot where many tourists pass by. It is strictly speaking not legal, and occasionally they are chased away by police, but most of the time they are able to ply their trade:
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I finish with the some photos from the weekend’s cycling. On the way to Jijona, I saw this scene. To me it says “hot and dusty”:
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This little square with a mural is one of my favourite places to take a break in Jijona:
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On my way back from another ride, I passed the town of San Vicente, in effect a suburb of Alicante and home of the main campus of the University of Alicante. I had passed this spot many times, but this time I stopped to have a look. There is a lovely covered area where people hang out on hot days to take advantage of the shade:
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There is a stage of some sort, presumably used for performances, but on this day it was just a place for children to play:
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I finish with a photo of Mochi, keeping me company while I edit my photos:
